Intensify HIV prevention among the disabled - Stakeholders

Participants at a stakeholder’s workshop have called for the intensification of interventions for HIV prevention among the disabled in the country.

The stakeholders also called for a policy to compel public health institutions to engage people who understand the sign language to help the hearing impaired to access health care.

The stakeholders said despite the achievements of the country in HIV prevention, much had not been done among the disabled.

They said many disabled persons are often sexually exploited exposing them to many sexually transmitted infections including HIV and because of the challenges they face, many are unable to access appropriate health care.

Explaining the essence of the project, ”Living no one behind, special intervention for persons living with disability”, Ms Golda Asante, head of the Eastern Regional Technical Support Unit of the Ghana AIDS Commission(GAC) said, the aim of the project is to achieve behavioural change among persons with disability.

She said the specific objective of the project is to promote abstinence, practice of safe sex and condom use among persons with disability living with HIV.

Ms Asante said the project also aims at bringing health services closer to the door steps of people with disability.

She said the GAC is engaging persons with disability for the preparation of a strategic plan for the inclusion of persons with disability in the national response to the HIV.

Ms Asante said GAC has provided funding for the Federation of Persons with Disability to organize some HIV interventions for their members in Eastern and Ashanti Regions.